Electric rat and animal trap.



O. WEISS.

ELECTRIC RAT AND ANIMAL TRAP.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 14, 1914.

1,170,946. Patented Feb. 8, 1916.

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A TTOR/VEVS THE COLUMBIA PLANOGRAFH cm, WASHINGTON, n. c.

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provide OTTO WEISS, OF SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH, 'nssreivon or ONE-HALF r0WILLIAM SUNDAY, or SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH. V

newsman AND ANIMAL-TRAP.

Specification of Letters Patent. 7 Patented Feb. 8, 1916.

i 7 Application filed Apri114, 1914. Serial n s ei,s 74.- T

To all iohom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Orro subject of the Emperor of Germany, but

now have declared my intention of becom ing a citizen of the UnitedStates of America, residing in Salt Lake City, in the county of SaltLake and State of Utah, have invented a certain new and usefulImprovement in Electric Rat and Animal Traps, of which the following isa specification.

My invention relates to improvements in traps for electrocuting'animalssuch as'rats, mice, .and the like, combinations, constructions, andarrangements herein described and'claimed.

An object of my invention is to provide a device of the type describedhaving a-hinged portion which will move under the Weight of therat orother animal so as to connect the primary of an induction coil ortransformer, the movable part beingso constructed that the animal willcome in contact with oppositely charged portions connected up a with thesecondary in such a mannerthat death will result.

I A further object of my invention is to a device having a curvedplatform so that when the animal is killed it will roll off, therebypermitting the platform to move so as to break the circuit and tocontrol the current.

A. further obiect of my; invention is to provide a trapwhich is operatedby electricity and which is comparatively, simple.

ilng contact plate 16 are contacts 19 which in construction andtherefore not easily liable to get out of order.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following specification,and the novel features of the invention will be particu- 'larly pointedout in theappended claims.

My invention is illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, forming part ofthis application, andin which- I Figure 1 is a perspective view of thedevice; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section therethrough, the electricalconnections being omitted for the sake of clearness; Fig. 3 is atransverse section therethrough, the electrical connections beingomitted for the sake of clearness; Fig. i is a bottom plan view of theplatforms and Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view of the electric circuit.

In carrying out my invention I provide an outer casing -1 of anysuitable shape.

WEISS, a former and it consists in the This casing is preferablyprovided with a partition 2 which serves as a support for a pair oftransverse members 3, the latter hearing at. their ends verticallyextending springs at. I

Hinged at 6 to the upper end of the easing, is a pair of platforms. Eachof these platforms consists of a series of parallel longitudinalconducting members 7 spaced apart by insulating material 8. As will beseen from the drawings, the two platforms are spaced apart as shown at9.

The two platforms are recisely alike. Adjacent conducting strips areconnected to the opposite ends of the secondary of a transformer, whilealternate conducting sections 7 are connected to a common terminal.

This may be accomplishedv in a number of different ways. In Fig. 4 Ihave shown two conducting strips 10 and 11 which aresuitably insulatedfrom the conducting strips 7 by insulating material 12. Conducting pinsor screws 13 connect the alternate sections, while similar pins 14passing through the strip 11, connect the remaining sections.

Each platform has ,an' end member 15 of iion conclucting material towhich the hinges 6 are attached. I

On the bottoms of {the platforms are se- 3 cured conducting plates 16'which are suitably insulated from the strips 7. The latter are cqnnectedby means of conductors 17 to t lead wire 18. 1

- Arranged to cooperate with the conduct- 1 are preferably secured tothe sidesgof the casing 1 directly underneath the contact 16.

The contacts 19 are connected by means of the conductor 20 with theprimary 21 of a transformer, the primary being connected with one of thelead wires 22 as shown in Fig. 5. The secondary 23 of the transformer isconnected by the conductor 24 with a binding post connected with one ofthe sets of conducting members 7 The opposite end of the secondary isconnected by conductor 25 with a binding post connected with theremaining conductors 7 so that ad.-

wardly through the renters Y of the springs enough for the animal toenter, said wire' as shown. These springs tendflto keepthe platforms ina slightly raised position.

They are designed to be merely far enough a so as to "separate thecontacts '19"a Iid From the foregoing description of the various partsof the device, the operation thereof may be readily understood. Theshelf 2 may be used as a bait shelf, and bait to attract the rats ormice may be placed,

thereon. A Wire netting 27 may be placed around the upperpart of thedevice, so as to n'eventthe rat from getting'the bait directly. Themoment he jumps on the plat- .foim the latter Will descend under hisweight and Will connectthe primary circuit of the transformer throughthe engagement of the c'on'tactslh and 19. If the switch S the primarycircuit, seeFig. 5 has been turned so asto'supply currentto. thetransformer, the circuit 'Will be closed When either of theplatformsdescend. This will ener- 'g'i'ze the secondary which Will thereuponelectrocute'the animal as soon as "any tWo manger the body come incontact with oppositely charged conducting member 7. As 'e animal drops,he will roll off owing to the curvature of the platform, which it Willbe observed, is great enough 'to cause the body to roll ofi While notbeing It is also obvious that various changes might be made Withoutdeparting seem the spirit and scope of the invention.

, iVhei-ethe device is to be used in a'house Wli'erethere are children,I may use 'a Wire covering for the top having holes large top serving asaprotection against any one Copies of this patent may be obtained forfive cents each, hy addressing the Commissioners! Patents, Washington,D; 0.

of current, a switch operated b'y the dethe primary source of current,a. secondary af tions'between one termiiial of "a Yserie'siofcondiictin-g sections suitably in 'tric'allycohnectingthe alternatesections to gether, spring means 'for normally holding forms forcompleting the circuit through Taccidentallycoining in contact with theC011? ducting bar 7.

Iclaim: '1. In an electric trap, a casiiig,"a phi'fality of'platforinshinged at one end to said cam ing, each of said platforms being composedof a series of conducting sections suitabl. insulated from one another,means for elpo tricallyconnecting the alternate sections to gether,spring means for normall holding the platforms in an upper osition, thwWeight ofan animal on the" atform c ausn ingthfe latter to descend, amaxy source scen'ding movement er either of said plat forms forcompleting the circuit through source of current associated with thesafi'd secondarysource of curreht and certain of said conducting bars,and connections a the opposite end of sai'dsecondarysource of currentwith the remaining bai's.

2. In an electric trap, a casing, a plurality of'pla'tforms hinged atone end to said casing, each of said platforms being 'cnrved towere itsouter edges and being composed of 'sul'at'ed from one another, means forelecthe platform in an upper position, the Weight of the animal ontheplat'form causing the latter to descend, a primary source of current,a switch operated by the descending movement of either of the said'platthe primary source of current, a secondary source of current;associated with the riniary, connections between one termina ofsaidseco'ndary source of current at certain of said conducting bars andconnections at the opposite'end of said secondary source of current withthe remaining bars.

OTTO WEISS.

Witnesses:

F. STULTZ, L. J. LAMMERS.

